President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has said the country has suffered from the disease of unproductivity for a long time and the solution is to deal with the cause root in order for the country to be free.

He made the remarks during the official opening of the Private Sector Labs at BICC Auditorium in Lilongwe.

Chakwera said Malawians should trust him and persevere the pain they are going through as he is taking a surgical operation to identify the root cause of the problems the country is facing.

“These painkillers have included handouts of food aid in exchange for nothing, handouts of donor support in exchange for nothing, handouts of cash aid in exchange for nothing, handouts of contracts in exchange for nothing, handouts of party materials in exchange for nothing, and handouts of unsustainable loans in exchange for nothing,” the president said.

He added that the government should work with the private sector to lift business obstacles that have been multiplied over time.

However Lekani Katandula, President of Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) argued Chakwera to reconsider the banning of lakeside government conferences as a punishment for the tourism sector as it is overcoming economic crisis of covid-19.